Closure blade for louvers



April 23, 1963 J. w. WALDRON CLOSURE BLADE FOR LOUVERS Filed Aug. 31, 1959 II IIIIIIIII I United States Patent 3,086,442 CLOSURE BLADE FOR LOUVERS John W. Waldron, Summit, N.J., assignor to Extruded Louver Corporation, Newark, N.J., a corporation of New Jersey Filed Aug. 31, 1959, Ser. No. 837,202 1 Claim. (Cl. 98121) This invention relates to ventilating louvers and the like for mounting in ventilating openings in building structures and it relates more particularly to a novel form of louver having fixed blades for closing a portion of the ventilating opening in which the louver is mounted.

Ventilating louvers are usually constructed to fit in openings which are designed into a building structure and they must be built and fitted to conform to the architectural plans of the building. Frequently, such louvers, in addition to their functional utility are included as a part of the ornamentation or design of the building and for that reason may be considerably larger than the openings in which they are used. They may be used sometimes where there is no ventilating opening. In such circumstances a portion of the louver structure may be blocked off by means of inserts, panels and the like. However, such panels alter the overall appearance of the louver structure with the result that desired ornamental effect is lost or modified.

In accordance with the present invention, a louver structure has been provided in which some of the blades are replaced by novel types of blades which enable a portion or all of the louver to be blocked off or covered without rendering the appearance of the covered portion of the louver any different than the remainder of the louver. Elements are included in the new blades which engage or fit together to close the space normally present between the blades and at the same time provide the appearance of normally spaced apart, inclined louver blades.

More particularly, the new louver blades have front and back configurations matching the other spaced louver blades of the louver, but the new blades have a laterally directed flange which engages the back of an adjacent louver blade thereby to close off the space therebetween. Elements may be provided on the louver blade for engagement with the flange on an adjacent blade whereby a tight joint is obtained therebetvveen and substantial st-ilfening and reinforcement of the structure is provided. In accordance with the invention the closure flanges on the louver blades are so arranged that they are concealed from view and hence, from the outer side of the louver structure, it appears to afford spaces for flow of air therethrough.

For a better understanding of the present invention, reference may be had to the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a view in horizontal cross section through a typical louver structure embodying the present invention and a portion of the building structure in which the louver is mounted;

FIGURE 2 is a view in section taken on line 22; and

FIGURE 3 is a view in vertical section through a modified torm of louver structure.

The louver chosen for purposes of illustration includes a frame provided with vertical jambs 11 and 12 formed of hollow aluminum extrusions or the like which are connected at their upper ends by a hollow head piece 13 and at their lower ends by a hollow sill 14. The structure and arrangement of the elements of the frame 10 can be varied widely. For instance, the vertical jarnbs 11 and 12, the hollow head piece 13, and the hollow sill 14 may be comprised of two mating and interlocking 3,986,442 Patented Apr. 23, 1963 "ice extrusions forming the hollow members shown. As further shown in FIGURES 1 and 2, the sill 1 4, jambs and head piece are provided with laterally extending flanges 15, 1-6, 17 and 18 which are adapted to butt against a caulking or weather strip 19 mounted on the building structure 20 adjacent the opening 21 in which the louver frame fits thereby to efllect a seal therewith. The building structure and the weather stripping is illustrative and may be modified and varied as the purpose demands.

As shown in FIGURE 2, a plurality of essentially identical louver blades 22, 23 and so forth, are mounted within the .louver frame 10. The blades may be aluminum extrusions, for example. On the front and back of the blade 22, for example, are curved ribs 24 and 25 which form sockets r'or receiving the threaded ends of screws 26 and 27 inserted through the janrbs of the frame. It should be noted that although the two screws 26 and 27 are shown as extending between and through both the inner and outer portions of the vertical jambs 11 and 12, it may be preferable to have the screws extend only through the inner portions of the jambs to enhance the appearance of the louver structure. The outer portions of the jantbs would serve to hide the screw heads so that no part of a fastener is exposed. Two screws at each end of each blade hold it firmly in position and against tilting relative to the -frame 10. Also, the blades 22 and 23 have upwardly and downwardly extending flanges 28 and 29 at their upper and lower edges respectively, and give a solid and attractive appearance to the louver structure. The shapes and sizes of the blades and the location of the ribs 24 and 25 thereon can be modified, as desired.

In accordance with the present invention, the lower, upper, or middle section, or all of the louver can be blocked out by means of the novel louver blades disclosed in the lower portion of FIGURE 2. As shown, each of the louver blades 30 and 31 has an inclined midportion 32, for example, which corresponds generally in configuration .to the lower edge and midportion of the louver blade 22. A downwardly extending flange 33 on the blade 30 corresponds to the flange 29 on the blade 22. Also ribs 34 and 35 on the blade 30 correspond in shape and location to the ribs 24 and 25 of the blade 22. The blade 30 differs from the blades 22 and 23 by having an upwardly and forwardly extending flange 36 at its rear or inner edge which engages the back of a blade 37 above it. Likewise, the upwardly extending flange 38 on the blade 31 engages the back of the blade 30 at a point adjacent the rib 35 thereon. In order to stabilize the blade 38 against wind forces and the like, the blades 31, 32, etc., may be provided with downwardly extending flanges 39 in spaced relation to the rib 35 to form a groove 40 receiving the edge of the flange 39. A caulking compound or a caulking strip may be introduced into the groove to seal the edge of the flange 39 to the adjacent blade although this usually is unnecessary.

The blade 37 may be different from the blades 22 and 30. Its front and back surfaces may be similar to the front and back surfaces of blade 22 with the exception that it has a downwardly extending flange 41 thereon to term the groove 42 for receiving the upper edge of the flange 39. It will be clear that the blades 30, 31, 37 and so forth, enable a part or all of the space within the louver frame 10 to be blocked off to thereby control the air flow space therein or to enable a totally closed louver to be used for ornamental purposes :where there are no ventilating openings in the building structure, if desired.

It will be understood that the new blades are susceptible to considerable modification. Thus, as shown in FIGURE 3, the curved rib 43 forming the channel for receiving the locating screw 44 may be mounted on the upwardly extending flange 45 of the blade 46. Other arrangements of the screw receiving ribs can be made to conform to the shape and appearance of the ventilating blades of the louver. Accordingly, it will be understood that the forms of the invention described are illustrative and not limiting and that the invention is limited only by the terms of the following claim.

I claim:

A ventilating louver for building structures comprising a frame to fit in an opening in a building structure, a plurality of louver blades mounted in said frame in spaced apart, substantially parallel relation, said blades having front and back surfaces inclined to the plane of the front of said frame, at least one closure blade mounted in said frame having a blade portion extending lengthwise and transversely thereof in substantially parallel relation to said plurality of blades and a front edge adjacent to the front of said frame and a rear edge disposed between the front and back of said frame, and a flange extending laterally from adjacent said rear edge of said blade portion toward the opposing surface of an adjacent blade, and means on said opposing surface of said adjacent blade engaging said flange and cooperating therewith to close the space within said frame between said one blade portion and said adjacent blade.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS OTHER REFERENCES Catalogue by Lon Sommerfeld, Inc., N.Y., 1953 (page 4 only). 

